Good Teen & Young Adult Reads: Stay Forever Young

Guilty pleasures. We all have them, and entertainment is one of the biggest categories. Whether it is the TV show we watch when no one is around, or the book we hide behind our more "accepted" reads on our shelves. One category in the book world that has slowly risen in the ranks is the Teen and Young Adult genre. With series like Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games, and Divergent; audiences for these books have grown broader... and older. I will admit to being found in the teen section often when browsing for new series to delve into, and I know I am not the only one. Try typing "twilight mom" into your search engine, and see how many hits pop up. There are countless clubs and forums where older generations have raised their hands, and said, "Yes, I like Teen Fiction!" And there is nothing wrong with that.

There, now that we have that all cleared up, we can get down to business. Where do you go next in your guilty pleasure search? I have already mentioned some titles that have drawn mass attention, both through book and film; but there are so many others. Believe me, whenever I finish one series, I just look at the "recommended for you" and a whole slew of new series' pop up. So let's get started!

With Halloween just around the corner, you may be thinking along the lines of the paranormal. Well, let me just say that this specific category is never-ending, but here are a few series that you could start with:

• Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer
• The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare
• Hush, Hush Saga Series by Becca Fitzpatrick
• Immortals Series by Alyson Noël
• Wolves of Mercy Falls/Shiver Series by Maggie Stiefvater

Looking for some straight-up magic? Check out these books/series:

• Stardust by Neil Gaiman
• Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

What would a post-apocalyptic or alternate world look like? Here are a few series that take a stab at answering that question and keep us thoroughly entertained:

• The Giver Quartet Series by Lois Lowry
• Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
• Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
• Selection Series by Kiera Cass

The teen category existed long before Twilight and Harry Potter came along. Here are a couple of what you might consider more "vintage" teen series:

• Redwall Series by Brian Jacques
• The Chronicles of Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis

Just because it is considered a guilty-pleasure doesn't mean it can't pull at our emotions. I would highly recommend checking out these books for entertainment, as well as a reminder to never take anything for granted:

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• If I Stay Series by Gayle Forman

Does any of the above appeal to you? Thrift Books is having a sale on Teen & Young Adult books during October. Just enter the code TEEN at checkout and if the book is in that genre, you'll receive a 15% discount. Instead of hiding these ones under the bed or at the back of the shelf, leave them out to say loudly and proudly, "I read Teen Fiction, and I am NOT going to apologize for it!"

Read more by Melina Lynne